The Response of Two Drip-Irrigated Sweet Corn Varieties to the Twin-Row Production System in the Dry Mediterranean Region

Ibrahim Mubarak

doi:10.2174/1874331502014010009

Abstract

Introduction: Minimizing production costs for drip-irrigated crops by reducing the number of driplines per unit-area is an urgent need to address the sustainability of the present production system. Materials and Methods: A two-year field experiment (2017 and 2018) was carried out to assess the effects of twin-row crop production system on two sweet corn varieties (Zea mays L.: an introduced variety “Silver Queen” and a local variety “White Kokab”) grown in a clay loam soil in the dry Mediterranean region. Three-row crop/dripline spacing configurations for each variety with three replicates were tested as: (i) single-row system at 75-cm crop row spacing with 75-cm dripline spacing (a dripline for each crop row), (ii) single-row system at 75-cm crop row spacing with 150-cm dripline spacing (a dripline for two crop rows), and (iii) twin-row system, 37.5 cm apart, on 150-cm centers, with 150-cm dripline spacing (a dripline for each twin-rows). Results and Conclusion: The local variety was better than the introduced variety in husked cop yield (13.93 t ha-1) and irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE, 1.92 kg m-3). Results also showed that the twin-row system with 150-cm dripline spacing provided similar husked cop yield and IWUE as the conventional 75-cm dripline spacing due to the more favourable rootzone soil water status; and both were higher in the two attributes than the single-row 150-cm dripline spacing. With 50% less unit-area driplines, twin-rows with 150-cm dripline spacing was considered to be more productive, economical and environmentally friendly.

Highlights

Minimizing production costs for drip-irrigated crops by reducing the number of driplines per unit-area is an urgent need to address the sustainability of the present production system
When using 150-cm dripline spacing under twin-rows, the mean weight of the husked cob was augmented
They found that 70cm spacing produced larger cobs in terms of husked cob diameter relative to the 140cm spacing, even under a twin-row cropping system

Summary

Introduction

Minimizing production costs for drip-irrigated crops by reducing the number of driplines per unit-area is an urgent need to address the sustainability of the present production system. Sweet corn (Zea mays L.) is a popular crop in many countries. Fresh consumption by boiling or grilling is quickly increasing worldwide. Large husked cops of sweet corn are preferred in the market. Vegetative parts (stalks and leaves) are used to feed animals. Its growing popularity increases local and international demand. Due to its high profitability, sweet corn represents one of the most economical crops for the local farmers. Fficient water use represents an urgent need to meet the sustainability of corn productivity due to the water shortage in the dry Mediterranean area

Objectives

Methods

Results